Abstract: A multicast forwarding entry generation method includes receiving a first multicast packet from a first border gateway. The method also includes generating a first multicast forwarding entry based on the first multicast packet. The first multicast forwarding entry includes an address of the first border gateway and information about a multicast source. The method further includes receiving a second multicast packet from a second border gateway. The second multicast packet includes an address of the second border gateway and the information about the multicast source. The method additionally includes determining a first path to the multicast source through the first border gateway and a second path to the multicast source through the second border gateway. The method also includes determining an optimal path to the multicast source based on the first path and the second path, and generating a forwarding entry of the multicast source based on the optimal path.

Abstract: A multicast forwarding entry generation method includes receiving a first multicast packet from a first border gateway. The method also includes generating a first multicast forwarding entry based on the first multicast packet. The first multicast forwarding entry includes an address of the first border gateway and information about a multicast source. The method further includes receiving a second multicast packet from a second border gateway. The second multicast packet includes an address of the second border gateway and the information about the multicast source. The method additionally includes determining a first path to the multicast source through the first border gateway and a second path to the multicast source through the second border gateway. The method also includes determining an optimal path to the multicast source based on the first path and the second path, and generating a forwarding entry of the multicast source based on the optimal path.

Abstract: A method for packet forwarding based on equal-cost multi-path and a network device, in order to resolve problems that are caused by inconsistent forwarding paths for packets in two directions of a same service flow in an equal-cost multi-path scenario. A first network device performs calculation on characteristic information in a packet using a hash algorithm to obtain a hash value, determines, according to a correspondence between hash values and path identifiers that is acquired in advance, a path identifier corresponding to the hash value, and forwards the packet to a second network device through a path that corresponds to the path identifier, where the path is one of the N equal-cost paths. There exist N equal-cost paths for packet forwarding between the first network device and the second network device. The same hash algorithm is configured on the two network devices respectively.

Abstract: A method for packet forwarding based on equal-cost multi-path and a network device, in order to resolve problems that are caused by inconsistent forwarding paths for packets in two directions of a same service flow in an equal-cost multi-path scenario. A first network device performs calculation on characteristic information in a packet using a hash algorithm to obtain a hash value, determines, according to a correspondence between hash values and path identifiers that is acquired in advance, a path identifier corresponding to the hash value, and forwards the packet to a second network device through a path that corresponds to the path identifier, where the path is one of the N equal-cost paths. There exist N equal-cost paths for packet forwarding between the first network device and the second network device. The same hash algorithm is configured on the two network devices respectively.